at the state level. The case arose from a California tort lawsuit accusing Mazda of failing to install a lap and shoulder belt instead of just a lap belt in the center back seat of a minivan, which allegedly led to a woman's death in a collision. The attorney for the victim's family, Martin Buchanan, said the family's state-law claims should be permitted based on Congress' intent to let common law play a role in determining safe vehicle standards.

Strip Search Machines at airports

-Transportation Security Administration initially

called “whole-body imagers” but has now

labeled “advanced imaging technology” units.

Critics, of course, call them strip-search machines.

Is this an evasion of privacy or just a security need

in today’s world?

Dina Lohan admits Lindsay is an addict

-- After years of downplaying Lindsay Lohan's

struggles with substance abuse, Dina Lohan

admitted M onday that her daughter is an addict

The Spa Half-Hour- the economy decline for the super rich.

By ABBY ELLI N NY times

There was a time in the not-so-distant past when every big hotel needed a spa. Leisure

travelers demanded it, and business travelers did, too — to reward themselves, their

clients or their employees with lavish massage and steam-filled weekends in opulent

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Legal Help Live offers legal suggestions each Wednesday at 4 PM. During the show the Hosts take calls from viewers with legal situations from parking tickets to personal injury. Viewers can catch the show on LA cable channel 36 or 16 in Santa Monica. Online the show can be viewed on LA36.org.

Legal Help Live Show Notes 10-27-10

If you'd like to ask the Hosts a question call 1(800)405-4222

600,000 Local Government Salaries Posted Online

By Chase Davis

-State Controller John Chiang today made good on a promise to post an online database of salary and benefits for hundreds of thousands of local government employees around the state.So far, the database includes salary and benefit information for nearly 600,000 employees in more than 400 cities and about 40 counties statewide. The famous six-figure Bell salaries are included, although data from the city of Vernon, whose employees' big paydays are also under investigation, has not yet been collected.

-City drowning in rubbish: 10,000 TONS of waste pile up on streets of Marseilles in chilling echo of British 'winter of discontent-france

Nurse caught on CCTV turning off paralysed patient's life support machine-A paralysed patient has been left severely brain damaged after a nurse switched off his life support machine in an incident captured on CCTV. England

OAKLAHOMA-Edwin Fry, 73, of Hydro, faces charges after springing his poodle from the pound with a lawn tractor and bolt cutters. The dog, Buddy Tough, was euthanized while his owner was in jail. PIT BULL

BY ANN KELLEY Oklahoman 223Published: October 22, 2010

HYDRO — A Hydro man sprung his poodle from the pound using a lawn tractor and bolt cutters, only to land himself behind bars with no one to rescue him. And while he was in jail, his dog was put back in the pound and euthanizedhttp://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/

Baby killed as family jumps from Paris window after 'devil sighting'Saturday, 23 October 2010-A baby died when a family of 12 leapt from their second floor balcony in Paris claiming they were fleeing the devil.Eight more were injured, some seriously, in the tragedy when they jumped 20ft into a car park in Paris suburb of La Verriere.The baffling incident occurred when a wife woke to see her husband moving about naked in the room, police said.She began screaming 'it's the devil! it's the devil!', and the man ran into the other room where 11 others adults and children were watching television. One woman grabbed a knife and stabbed the man before others pushed him out through the front door.When the man forced his way back in, they all began screamed in terror and leapt from the balcony screaming 'Jesus! Jesus!'The naked man also leapt from the balcony, detectives said

NYC bedbugs scaring off NYC tourists- NEW YORK (AP) - New York City's bedbugs have climbed out of bed and marched into landmarks like the Empire State Building, Bloomingdale's and Lincoln Center, causing fresh anxiety among tourists who are canceling Big Apple vacations planned for the height of the holiday season.Some travelers who had arranged trips to New York say they are creeped out about staying in hotels and visiting attractions as new reports of bedbugs seem to pop up every few days. And officials in Mayor Michael Bloomberg's administration are concerned about the effect on the city's image and $30 billion tourism industry.The discoveries of pests at high-profile places are often not full-blown infestations, or even in public areas. Bloomingdale's reported finding exactly one bug in the famous department store, the Empire State Building had them in the basement and Lincoln Center's were in a dressing room

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Legal Help Live offers legal suggestions each Wednesday at 4 PM. During the show the Hosts take calls from viewers with legal situations from parking tickets to personal injury. Viewers can catch the show on LA cable channel 36 or 16 in Santa Monica. Online the show can be viewed on LA36.org.

Legal Help Live Show Notes 10-13-10

If you'd like to ask the Hosts a question call 1(800)405-4222

-Station fire's lost 'window of opportunity' recounted- Why did air drops not come at 7 am but at 9am,and over 200 houses destroyed?Ex-Forest Service chief tells congressional panel he tried to get timely help in fighting the massive blaze.

-California to Sell 24 Government Buildings for $2.3 Billion-The Associated Press reported earlier this year that the deal would end up costing the state $5.2 billion in rent over 20 years, perhaps saddling taxpayers with costs beyond whatever the state would net from the sal

-FOOD TRUCK GRADING PLAN A,B,C LOS ANGELES COUNTY ITS ABOUT TIME

-HIV FILM PORN STARS AND ADULT FILM STOP SHOOTING

-California Supreme Court upholds unpaid furloughs for state employees, but ...Los Angeles Times (blog) - ‎17 hours ago‎The California Supreme Court on Monday unanimously upheld last year's unpaid furloughs for more than 200000 state employees, ruling that state legislators ...

-Man driving lawn mower arrested for DUIKENWOOD, CA -- A Kenwood man riding a lawn mower was arrested for DUI Saturday night after leaving a market, according to the California Highway Patrol.A CHP officer stopped 55-year-old John Poshepny at about 7:50 p.m. when he left the parking lot of the Kenwood Market, located at 8910 Sonoma Highway, and drove south on Green Street, CHP Officer Jon Sloat said.The mower did not have lights and was difficult to see, Sloat said.Poshepny, who lives within two blocks of the market, told the CHP officer he occasionally uses the mower to drive to the store to get groceries, Sloat said.Poshepny had a brown bottle in a brown paper bag, and the CHP officer smelled alcohol on his breath, Sloat said.

-Verizon Wireless to Pay Millions in RefundsNew York Times - ‎12 hours ago‎WASHINGTON - Verizon Wireless said on Sunday that it would pay up to $90 million in refunds to 15 million cellphone customers who were wrongly charged for data sessions or Internet use, one of the largest customer refunds by a ...Verizon Wireless to refund $50 million to customers Los

-Schwarzenegger approves bill downgrading marijuana possession of ounce or less to an infraction-Supporters say the change will keep marijuana-related cases from becoming court-clogging jury trials, even though the penalty will remain a fine of up to $100, with no jail time.

-The new pot gardenerGrowing pot at home: What's legal?If you have a recommendation from a doctor to use medical marijuana, it is also legal for you to grow it, in limited quantities. The trouble is figuring out how much you can grow before law enforcement comes after you. A timeline of the rules in California:1996: Proposition 215 passes, making it legal for "seriously ill" Californians and their primary caregivers to grow marijuana for medical purposes if medical use has been recommended by a physician. No limit for how much marijuana a person with a recommendation can grow or possess is set at this time.2004: Senate Bill 420, the Medical Marijuana Program Act, goes into effect. The bill establishes a voluntary registration of medical marijuana patients and their primary caregivers through a statewide identification card system. The bill's guidelines state that a cardholder can possess up to 8 ounces of dried marijuana or may cultivate as many as six mature or 12 immature plants. Individual counties may choose to set higher limits, but no county may set a lower limit.2010: In People vs. Kelly, the state Supreme Court holds that patients can possess or cultivate as much as is "reasonably necessary." They cannot be convicted simply for exceeding the possession or cultivation guidelines in SB 420; however, they can be forced to defend themselves in court.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

-FTC targets Pom juice health claims – true or false is it a help effective against heart and prostate problems-Segway company owner rides one off cliff to his death ...year bought the company that makes the Segway scooter fell to his death off a cliff...Heselden bought the New Hampshire-based Segway company in December. The former coal... British law restricts the use of Segway scooters to private land.-'Pulpit Freedom Sunday' to Defy IRS-churchPastors Across the U.S. Say They Will Defy Law and Talk Politics-ederal tax law, established in 1954, prohibits churches and tax exempt entities from endorsing or opposing political candidates.-Mc cord divorce attorney for both changed words after document signed. Contract or no contract?-Arrested 8 bell officials for corruption-Vatican bank and alleged money laundering-First execution set for 9-20-10 in new death room-will it happen? None since 1977-Ohio University Sorry Its Mascot Attacked Ohio State's Brutus Buckeye Government to implement planned tax on sweets, ice cream and soft drinksMedical marijuana growers join Teamsters union-OAKLAND, Calif. -- As organized labor faces declining membership, one of the country's most storied unions is looking to a new growth industry: marijuana.The Teamsters added nearly 40 new members earlier this month by organizing the country's first group of unionized marijuana growers. Such an arrangement is likely only possible in California, which has the nation's loosest medical marijuana laws -FINLAND-On Thursday, the government decided in its general session that a tax is to be levied on candies and similar sweets, chocolate, cocoa products, ice cream, and popsicles. -Lindsay Lohan's probation revoked, arrest warrant issued-Paris Hilton pleads guilty rat pack continues-who care anymore?

Monday, September 13, 2010

Legal Help Live offers legal suggestions each Wednesday at 4 PM. During the show the Hosts take calls from viewers with legal situations from parking tickets to personal injury. Viewers can catch the show on LA cable channel 36 or 16 in Santa Monica. Online the show can be viewed on LA36.org.

If you'd like to ask the Hosts a question call 1(800)405-4222

Show Notes 9-13-2010

-Plaintiffs May Sue Over Explosion -Lawsuits are likely on the horizon after last week's massive explosion and fire in the San Francisco suburb of San Bruno that, as of Friday afternoon, had killed four people, destroyed and damaged more than 40 homes and injured dozens.-Ageless Cher Turns Back Time to 1989 in a very familiar outfit at the MTV Video Music Awards-at 64-Fitness guru Jane Fonda looks amazing at 72 in new workout DVD for old age pensioners. She is just as famous for her 1980s workout videos as she is for winning two Oscars and protesting the Vietnam War. And now, fitness guru Jane Fonda is stepping back into the lycra to release two new exercise DVDs - aimed at old age pensioners. As these pictures show, the 72-year-old actress has managed to maintain the amazing body she flaunted in skimpy aerobic leotards 25 years ago. -Sponge left inside Palm Beach County judge during surgery nearly kills him-Palm Beach Post Staff Writer- It has been called the “surgeon’s dread.” The most common mistake made in surgery, according to medical journals, is leaving a sponge or instrument inside a patient. County Judge Nelson Bailey knows precisely what happens when something is left behind. After abdominal surgery at Good Samaritan Medical Center for diverticulitis, the pain in the judge’s belly only got worse. Repeatedly, he says, he returned to his primary doctor and complained. Repeatedly, he was sent for CT scans. And repeatedly, the metal marker on the sponge appearing in the scans was misidentified. For five months, the surgical sponge festered near Bailey’s intestines. The pus- and bile-stained mass measured more than a foot long and a foot wide when finally removed and unwound in March. “I was expecting something like a kitchen sponge,” the longtime judge said. “I was shocked.” -Invalid conditions of criminal probation-California DUI and Motorcycle Fatalities Highlight Big Declines in Overall Traffic Deaths /PRNewswire/ -- For the fourth year in a row, DUI deaths dropped in 2009. At the same time, motorcycle fatalities saw their first drop since 1998, marking the end to an 11-year, 175 percent increase. DUI and motorcycle deaths were just two of the highlights of a statewide decline in total traffic fatalities of 10.3 percent.In figures released by the Federal government today, California recorded 950 alcohol-impaired driving fatalities in 2009, a 7.6 percent decline from 1,025 in 2008. The 2009 totals mark a 26.8 percent drop from the 2005 high of 1,298. Motorcycle fatalities dropped by 29.6 percent, from 560 in 2008 to 394 in 2009. Total traffic fatalities from all causes fell from 3,434 in 2008 to 3,081 last year.-California Supreme Court seems likely to uphold forced state furloughs-Los Angeles Times-The justices' questions to lawyers indicate they'll rule Schwarzenegger's furloughs legal. The furloughs sparked more than 30 lawsuits. -Hermosa Beach tattoo parlor ban ruled unconstitutional by appeals court -By Carol J. Williams, Los Angeles Times -Tattoos and the art of tattooing... Beach ban on tattoo parlors is unconstitutional...Cheat'n Heart Tattoo in Gardena, after...coastal community. Hermosa Beach officials had refused...said he expected Hermosa Beach officials to reconside-Don’t ask don’t tell policy of military violates 1st amendment riverside district court judge rules-FDA says e-cigarette companies must seek regulatory approvalThe FDA targets five firms, warning them that e-cigs need to be approved as drugs and/or drug delivery devices.

Friday, September 10, 2010

WASHINGTON (Dow Jones)--The number of concussions suffered by school-age children appears to be rising even as participation in certain organized team sports declines, according to a new study published Monday in the journal Pediatrics.

The study, by researchers at Hasbro Children's Hospital and Brown University, both in Providence, R.I., is the first national look at concussions in school-age kids, who may be more vulnerable to long-term complications from such head injuries than adults.

The study looked at more than 500,000 emergency room visits for concussions in children ages 8-to-19 from 2001 to 2005 with a focus on concussions caused by sports injuries.

Of the approximately 502,000 emergency room visits for concussions, more than 252,000 were sports-related, which included individual sports like bicycling and snow-skiing as well as team sports.

Children ages 8-to-13 had a higher rate of sports-related concussions at 58% than children ages 14-to-19.

The study's lead author, Lisa Bakhos, who is now a pediatric emergency room doctor at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, N.J., said that while many studies have been conducted on the impact of concussions among high-school, college and professional athletes, little is known about sports-related concussions in school-age children.

"We really don't know what the long-term consequences [of concussions] are in kids," Bakhos said. Researchers speculate that concussions in the still growing brains of young children may produce more severe long-term developmental and cognitive problems than a similar injury in an adult. A concussion is caused when the brain is jarred from being hit and temporarily interferes with the way brain works, affecting things like memory, balance, judgment and even sleep patterns.

The study also looked at concussions in children and compared them with participation rates in five organized team sports-- baseball, basketball, football, ice hockey and soccer--from 1997 to 2007.

During that decade, participation in those sports declined by about 13%, but concussion-rated emergency room visits related to the same sports rose substantially during the same time period. ER visits for children ages 8-to-13 doubled from about 3,800 to 7,800, and among children ages 14-to-19, visits tripled from about 7,000 to 22,000.

Bakhos said researchers don't know if the reasons behind the increase are that team sports have become more competitive or if it's because of an increase in reporting rates, or both.

She also noted that the study looks at only ER visits for concussions, and so it underestimates the actual concussion rate. The National Institutes of Health estimates there are more than one million concussions annually in both children and adults.

Bakhos said parents shouldn't shy away from letting their kids participate in sports, but should make sure they and coaches are following good prevention strategies such as wearing helmets. While most athletes wear proper helmets and other protective gear during football games for instance, Bakhos said she's seen practices conducted without helmets.

**Comment by Stephen Jamieson**

Hi Jennifer, I read with great interest your article, as well as others that are coming out in other publications.For years I have represented athletes who were put back in too early by coaches, trainers, and physicians.Horrible consequences result from the athletes, particularly children, not accurately reporting how they are feeling and the "professionals" simply relying on the child's assessment of their own condition, without giving adequate weight to the fact that these kids want to "go back in" right away.This has resulted in a number of 5 to 10 million dollar verdicts and settlements. Perhaps these verdicts and settlements, and the liability that goes with it, has helped to spur the professionals into action. I hope so anyway.This baseline testing is excellent news.

I have represented brain injured and spinal injured athletes and recreators for many years.

The Supreme Court, however, issued several precedential decisions in 1993, and there are government immunities in place per statutes, in an attempt to severely limit liability for sports programs and other "risky" activities. I wonder if the aftermath of those cases and statutes, and their more recent progeny and refinements, have helped to increase the risk for athletes like you describe, and thus cause what appears to be a greater incidence of injuries.

In the United States we accept that people/companies generally tend to do the right thing, or at least more of it more often, when they otherwise risk civil or criminal liability for their failure to do the right thing, keep people safe, fix defective products, etc. Think about car manufacturers and manufacturers of other products, or wayward financial institutions, for examples.

The development over the years of the immunities available to government entities, like school districts, perhaps have allowed the administrators to become complacent in their duties to keep kids safe and to make sure that training and competition is done in the safest manner and method possible.

Perhaps the greater incidence of injuries, and difference in attitude, you describe in your articles is directly or indirectly the result of years of immunities taking their toll. These things seem to go in cycles and the current state of the law and immunities should be reviewed and evaluated in light of the serious and dangerous effect on our children. The Supreme Court and Legislators attempt to impose personal responsibility on those that engage in sports and recreation. Personal responsibility for one's actions and activities is certainly a laudable goal, but particularly when we are talking about children (even older college age "children"), subject to authority figures like coaches, trainers, and administrators perhaps requires more oversight and legal liability for those that do become complacent in satisfying those duties to our kids. Perhaps the personal responsibility should be that of those responsible for the training and programs, those that are tasked with increasing safety and reducing risk.

Monday, August 30, 2010

Legal Help Live offers legal suggestions each Wednesday at 4 PM. During the show the Hosts take calls from viewers with legal situations from parking tickets to personal injury. Viewers can catch the show on LA cable channel 36 or 16 in Santa Monica. Online the show can be viewed on LA36.org.

If you'd like to ask the Hosts a question call 1(800)405-4222

Legal Help Live Show Notes 9-1-10

-HERE COMES THE JUDGE- Manhattan Judge James Gibbons quits after massive porn cache is found on work computer- porn on court computer linked system-employers can moniter-HEALTH DEPARTMENT-Berlin 'cannibal' restaurant calls for diners to donate body parts for menu. A website advertising a new restaurant in Germany has called for humans to donate body parts for the menu causing outrage.-Bikini-clad strippers protest church in rural Ohio-WARSAW, Ohio (AP) - Strippers dressed in bikinis sunbathe in lawn chairs, their backs turned toward the gray clapboard church where men in ties and women in full-length skirts flock to Sunday morning services. The strippers, fueled by Cheetos and nicotine, are protesting a fundamentalist Christian church whose Bible-brandishing congregants have picketed the club where they work. The dancers roll up with signs carrying messages adapted from Scripture, such as "Do unto others as you would have done unto you," to counter church members who for four years have photographed license plates of patrons and asked them if their mothers and wives know their whereabouts. The dueling demonstrations play out in central Ohio, where nine miles of cornfields and Amish-buggy crossing signs separate The Fox Hole strip clu -BRAIN DAMAGES AND LAWSUIT -PARIS HILTON ARRESTED FOR POSSESSION OF COCAINE -LA POT ORDINACE- THERE ARE 169 TRYING TO CLOSE 128 FOR CHANGE IN OWENERSHIP OR MANAGEMENT-Lindsay Lohan Is Licensed To Drive . . . Again-TV.com - ‎Now that Lindsay Lohan is a free woman again, after serving 14 days in jail and 22 days in rehab to satisfy her probation violation for her 2007 DUI -Self-checkout alcohol ban-In politics, things often are not as they seem. A case in point is Assembly Bill 1060, now awaiting action by the governor, a bill touted by proponents as necessary to prevent teens from obtaining alcohol and lessen incidences of drunken driving. Neither could be farther from the truth, and proponents should be ashamed for lending their names to a blatant union attack on California businesses having the audacity to innovate and improve-Paralyzed high school player sues helmet maker Riddell-A Los Angeles attorney has filed suit against football-helmet manufacturer Riddell on behalf of an 18-year-old Pomona athlete who suffered permanent brain damage last season. Playing defensive tackle for Garey High School in an October game against Montclair High, Edward Acuna took a hit to the front of his helmet in the fourth quarter and quickly lost consciousness. He suffered a left subdural hematoma and was left partially paralyzed.His attorney, Ilyas Akbari, claims there is a defect with the padding in the front of the helmet. "Our information is that Riddell Sports has known about this particular defect in their helmets for at least a decade," Akbari said. "It is a parent's worst nightmare to see their child suffer a catastrophic injury while playing the sport they love, especially when that injury could have been avoided by a known and simple fix." Riddell officials were not immediately available for comment. The lawsuit is seeking unspecified damages.-E-Cigarettes Spark New Smoking War-While the federal case is pending, sellers of e-cigarettes and "juice"—the nicotine-laced liquid that goes into the devices—continue to pop up online and in malls. 7-Eleven Inc. stores in California, New York, Texas and a handful of other states recently began selling an e-cigarette brand. Costco Wholesale Corp. in April stopped selling a version on its website because of concerns about the FDA's stance. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. also briefly offered a product on its website this year but discontinued it because it didn't attract much demand and the company was concerned about the FDA's position, a spokesman said.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Legal Help Live offers legal suggestions each Wednesday at 4 PM. During the show the Hosts take calls from viewers with legal situations from parking tickets to personal injury. Viewers can catch the show on LA cable channel 36 or 16 in Santa Monica. Online the show can be viewed on LA36.org.

If you'd like to ask the Hosts a question call 1(800)405-4222

Show Notes 8-18-2010

-HEALTH DEPARTMENT CLOSES 7 YEAR OLD LEMONADE STAND-PORTLAND, Ore. — A county official in Oregon has apologized after health inspectors soured a 7-year-old's business venture by shutting down her lemonade stand.Multnomah County Chairman Jeff Cogen, the county's top elected official, said the inspectors were "following the rule book," The Oregonian reported, but that regulators should take into consideration the intent of the food safety rules: To govern adults running professional food businesses.-SECOND-CLASS AT THIRD BASE -The News In Major League Baseball, a racial disparity between the proportion of minority coaches at first base and those in the more prestigious third-base spot has been growing, according to an analysis by The New York Times. Behind the News The gap is meaningful because third-base coaches earn more and often use the job as a springboard to a managerial position. Despite baseball’s commitments to diversity, only 23 percent of third-base coaches are members of minorities, compared with 67 percent of first-base coaches. As a whole, 40percent of major-leaguers are black, Hispanic or Asian.-$5.5M settlement reached in Redondo Beach cheerleader's injury-County officials are expected to finalize a $5.5 million settlement Tuesday in a medical malpractice case brought by the family of a Redondo Beach girl who suffered permanent brain damage after a cheerleading accident three years ago. The payment is one of the largest in county history for medical malpractice, due largely to the high cost of the girl's ongoing medical needs, county officials said. "This is obviously a very terrible situation," said Rich Mason, an attorney for the county. "We are pleased to have come to a mutual agreement and put this matter behind us." Elizabeth Nicks, now 15, was taken to County Harbor-UCLA Medical Center near Torrance after toppling to the ground during a pyramid-style cheerleading stunt at Aviation Park on Aug. 30, 2007.She was diagnosed with a relatively small subdural hematoma, or bleeding of the brain, and was initially released after five days of observation, said William Karns, an attorney representing the family. "Over the course of her stay from Aug. 30to Sept. 4, she developed signs that indicated her subdural hematoma had increased in size throughout her hospitalization," Karns said. "Harbor-UCLA chose not to perform a CT scan upon discharge. If they had, they would have seen that the hematoma had grown in size and would have operated."-Paris Hilton sued for $35M for wearing wrong hair -By ANTHONY McCARTNEYLOS ANGELES (AP) - Paris Hilton was sued Wednesday for allegedly wearing someone else's hair. A company that manufactures hair extensions claimed the 29-year-old socialite breached her contract to wear and promote their product when she sported the fake locks of a competitor in 2008. Hairtech International Inc. is seeking $35 million in damages - 10 times what she was apparently paid under the contract. The fraud and breach-of-contract suit cites the heiress' partying as contrary to Hairtech's marketing campaign.-Suit Sees Lead Risk in Bounce Houses -SAN FRANCISCO — It may be one of the most beloved activities of hyperactive children and the parents who love them: bouncing in a bounce house. But, according to Attorney General Jerry Brown of California, it may also be toxic.-Death row inmate dies of natural causes-San Francisco Chronicle - A former nurse sentenced to death for the killing of 12 patients at two hospitals in Riverside County in 1981 has died. Officials at San Quentin State-Democrats may pay political price for Obama's words on NYC mosque -Obama Beer: Cop and Professor Gates at White House, Open Talk ...The Great Obama beer fest, with cop and professor is on at the White ... a lifetime of racial oppression while attending Yale Law School-Church holds fate of nearby store's alcohol licenseJetBlue flight attendant »The Price of Steven Slater's JetBlue FlightCBS News - ‎Harry Smith spoke with legal analyst Jack Ford about the charges against Jet Blue flight attendant Steven Slater. CBS News Legal Analyst Jack Ford said the charges brought against him for his behavior are criminal mischief, reckless endangerment

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Legal Help Live offers free legal advice each Wednesday at 4 PM. During the show the Hosts take calls from viewers with legal situations from parking tickets to personal injury. Viewers can catch the show on LA cable channel 36 or 16 in Santa Monica. Online the show can be viewed on LA36.org.

If you'd like to ask the Hosts a question call 1(800)405-4222

SHOW TOPICS 8-4-2010

-CITY OF BELL PENSION-CM $ 600,000 A YEAR PENSION-POLICE CHIEF 411,300PENSION -Former Orange County Sheriff Michael S. Carona, convicted ofwitness tampering, receives a pension of about $215,000 a year. RobertCitron, who led Orange County into bankruptcy in 1994, collects$142,000. And Former Vernon City Manager Bruce Malkenhorst Sr.,indicted for misappropriating public funds, collects the highestpublic pension in California, $509,664.-Does this make my butt look big? Good. -You know you're not on the cutting edge of fashion when you learn about a new trend from the Wall Street Journal, as I did this week in reading a front-page story about the growing market for paddedundergarments to enhance a woman's rear end. Talk about being behindthe curve; there I was still trying to slim down at the gym while JLo,Beyoncé and maybe even "Mad Men's" uber-curvaceous Joan Holloway weremoving tastes in the other directio-PERSONAL INJURY & TORTS Adults Who Serve Minors Liable-By Ciaran McEvoy -Daily Journal Staff Writer -A bill that seeks to dismantle California's barrier preventinglawsuits against adults who knowingly provide alcohol to minors in thehome passed the State Assembly and awaits the signature of Gov. ArnoldSchwarzenegger. AB 2486 the Teen Alcohol Safety Act of 2010 passed bya 67-1 vote. The bill was inspired by the December 2008 death of17-year-old Shelby Allen of Redding, who died from alcohol poisoningat a friend's home with the parents present. California is one of onlythree states that prohibit civil liability against adults in cases ofalcohol-related injury or death.-VA ALLOWS MED MARAJUANA IN 14 STATES CA IS INCLUDEDLong Beach City Council votes to pursue medical marijuana tax -8 to 1 on Tuesday night to hold a%The Long Beach City Council voted public hearing next month on whether to place a measure on the November ballot that would levy a 5% tax on medical marijuanacollectives.-Man falls off surgical table; St. Joseph's Hospital sued-When straps holding a 300-pound, 61-year-old St. Paul man to a surgical table failed, he hit his head on the floor and later died.-22,700 died since 2007 in Mexican drug war-la times -Some customers heated over indoor Â‘tan tax,' which was part of health-care law-10 percent-Goldman's $550 million SEC settlement: Who gets the money? -Of the $550 million that Goldman Sachs Group on Thursday agreed to pay to settle the government’s securities fraud suit against the company,$300 million will go to the Treasury as a penalty.Your share as one of 310 million Americans: about 97 cents. The other $250 million will reimburse two sophisticated investors that were among Europe’s biggest casualties of the global financial-system crash. They were the ones Goldman allegedly duped -- although the Wall Street titan had insisted to the SEC that the investors knew exactlywhat they were getting into, or should have known. The German bank IKB in 2007 bought $150 million of the subprime-mortgage-related securities that Goldman concocted and sold.The SEC alleges that Goldman failed to disclose in its marketing materials that the securities were chosen in part by a hedge fund thatwas betting on their failure.IKB lost its entire $150 million as the securities crumbled in value with the housing bust. It will get all of that back from Goldman. Interestingly enough, IKB had its own struggle with accurate disclosure: The bank’s former CEO on Wednesday was convicted inGermany of misleading IKB’s investors about the extent of the bank’s investments in U.S. subprime loans in 2007. IKB required a series of German government bailouts in 2007 and 2008. It was sold later in 2008 to Lone Star Funds, a Dallas-based privateequity firm. Goldman also will pay $100 million to Royal Bank of Scotland, whichbought the Dutch bank ABN AMRO in late 2007. Via credit default swaps, ABN AMRO in 2007 had agreed to insure the highest-quality portions of the Goldman securities. It was a bad move: The collapse of the securities left ABN AMRO on the hook for $841 million. That’s what Royal Bank of Scotland paid to Goldman in August 2008 to unwind the insurance deal. Most of that sum was subsequently paid by Goldman to Paulson & Co., the hedge fund that had helped design the deal. Royal Bank of Scotland had to be rescued by the British government in late 2008 as the bank’s credit losses deepened. Goldman shouldn't have much trouble writing those reimbursement checks: The $550 million amounts to just 16% of the $3.46 billion the firm earned in the first quarter alone, and 4% of its $13.4-billion in full-year 2009 profit-PERSONAL INJURY & TORTS-Adults Who Serve Minors Liable-By Ciaran McEvoy-Daily Journal A bill that seeks to dismantle California's barrier preventing lawsuits against adults who knowingly provide alcohol to minors in the home passed the State Assembly and awaits the signature of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. AB 2486 the Teen Alcohol Safety Act of 2010 passed by a 67-1 vote. The bill was inspired by the December 2008 death of 17-year-old Shelby Allen of Redding, who died from alcohol poisoning at a friend's home with the parents present. California is one of only three states that prohibit civil liability against adults in cases of alcohol-related injury or death.-Ex-NFL Player Sues Electronic Arts-By Jean-Luc Renault-Daily Journal Staff WriterA former professional football player has claimed in a federal class action that a major video game publisher improperly used his and other retired athletes' likenesses in a popular game without permission. The complaint, filed in San Francisco last week, is the latest round in an ongoing fight over the use of professional and college athletes'images in video games. Athletes have filed several lawsuits against publisher Electronic Arts in recent years, claiming right-of-publicity and trademark violations under both California and federal law.-Are Medical Marijuana Dispensaries on the Chopping Block?-By Ellin DavtyanLocal governments throughout California are anxiously awaiting the ruling in Qualified Patients Association v. City of Anaheim (G040077). The issue before the 4th District Court of Appeal, Division Three, is one of first impression on whether local governments can enact regulations entirely prohibiting the operation of medical marijuanadispensaries.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Legal Help Live offers free legal advice each Wednesday at 4 PM. During the show the Hosts take calls from viewers with legal situations from parking tickets to personal injury. Viewers can catch the show on LA cable channel 36 or 16 in Santa Monica. Online the show can be viewed on LA36.org.

If you'd like to ask the Hosts a question call 1(800)405-4222

SHOW TOPICS 5-19-2010

-DNA Could Solve Doggie-Doo Caper-Baltimore condo may use DNA tests to identify guilty pooch-By KELVIN ROBINSON - A swanky Baltimore condominium is considering using technology -- usually reserved for cold case murders and revealing paternity -- in a case of whodunit. The culprit is furry, friendly and likely has no idea he's done anything wrong. The crime? Pooping all over the Scarlett Place condominiums.All dogs in the building would be swabbed for DNA testing, under a proposal by the condo board, according to The Baltimore Sun. Dog owners would pay $50 per pup, covering the costs of tests and supplies, and an additional-Hershey Sues, Says Williams-Sonoma Brownie Pan Copied Iconic Chocolate Bar-Lawsuits against Toyota are consolidated-By Ken Bensinger and Ralph Vartabedian-More than 150 lawsuits against Toyota Motor Corp. over alleged...applies only to federal cases and not lawsuits filed in state courts. Toyota has...plaintiff attorneys argued that the lawsuits should be handled individually, many...-Huntington Beach wants to limit payment to family of 11-year-old killed in lifeguard program to $26,000 –martime law - The city of Huntington Beach has taken legal steps to stop the family of an 11-year-old girl who died in a junior lifeguarding exercise from suing the city for anything more than the value of the boat that killed her.-WHO study has no clear answer on phones and cancer-same problem with living under power lines, or getting early baby shots and autism-Woman painting nails before crash found guilty-Driver is 'being made an example of,' attorney claims -BY DAN ROZEK Staff Reporter- Though Lora Hunt insisted she wasn't painting her fingernails when she hit and killed motorcyclist Anita Zaffke, a Lake County jury Thursday convicted her of reckless homicide in the 2009 crash-DID MOVIE BABIE VIOLATE CA LABOR LAW? - California law requires infants to have a doctor's note and legal permits before they can be filmed. They're only allowed on camera for 20 minutes a day. They must be accompanied by both a nurse and studio teacher — both paid for by the producers. The babies also need to be at least 15 days old, reports AP.-PHOENIX – Arizona is ending a groundbreaking and contentious program that put speed cameras along Phoenix-area freeways and in vans deployed across the state. American flag shirts ignite firestorm-Four Live Oak High School teens sent home for wearing American flag T-shirts on Cinco de Mayo have become the focus of national media attention and spurred a march by Hispanic students through downtown Morgan Hill-Violent Video Game Law Gets Top U.S. Court Hearing (Update3)BusinessWeek - Greg Stohr - April 26 (Bloomberg) -- The US Supreme Court will consider reviving a California law prohibiting sales of violent video games to minors, ...-After dark, the dirty work at Disneyland begins. Park workers have also found a resourceful way to remove other unwanted guests — rodents. Years ago — no one seems to know when — feral cats began to sneak into the park, living among the park's trees and shrubs during the day. At night, they venture out, and an estimated 200 cats now prowl through Disneyland and neighboring California Adventure Park.But instead of evicting the cats, Disneyland's animal wranglers work to control the feline population by spaying and neutering the adult cats and finding homes for all kittens born in the resort. The cats eat at five permanent feeding stations installed throughout the two parks. "We are not trying to get rid of them," said Gina Mayberry, manager of Disneyland's Circle D ranch, where the park's animals are housed. "They keep the rodent population down."-Ninth Circuit OKs Massive Wal-Mart Class Action SuitBy the slimmest of margins, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday approved certification of the nation's biggest-ever class action, in which a class of up to 1.6 million female employees contend Wal-Mart Stores unfairly discriminates against women in its pay and promotion practices-Drivers still texting despite California ban, Auto Club survey findsLos Angeles Times - By Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times A California law banning texting behind the wheel has not kept drivers from doing it, according to a new -Cape Cod Residents Don't Expect One Ruling to End Long Fight New York Times - Katie Zezima - ‎Allen Rencurrel said he worried that future wind turbines would interfere with the routes he takes to some of his clam beds. By KATIE ZEZIMA HYANNIS, Mas-California County Bans Toys In Fast Food Meals-Santa Clara County -RedOrbit -A county in California is halting restaurants from using toys to get children hooked on unhealthy food such as Kids Club Meals offered by Burger King and Happy Meals offered by McDonalds.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Legal Help Live offers free legal advice each Wednesday at 4 PM. During the show the Hosts take calls from viewers with legal situations from parking tickets to personal injury. Viewers can catch the show on LA cable channel 36 or 16 in Santa Monica. Online the show can be viewed on LA36.org.

If you'd like to ask the Hosts a question call 1(800)405-4222

SHOW TOPICS 4-14-2010

-The party's over for tailgaters at Dodger Stadium-LAPD and security officers crack down on the traditional opening day party in the ballpark's parking lots before the game. Regular participants deplore the action.-TOYOTA HALTS SALES OF LEXUS SUV-ROLL OVER-Most expensive divorce -Murdock 1.7 billion to wife-Ruling Looms for Cases Handled By Tainted Evidence Lab-SAN FRANCISCO-CRIME LAB TECH-STOLE DRUGS AND LAB IS DISARRAY-TWO escaped convicts have dodged a huge manhunt - by disguising themselves as SHEEP.The pair dressed in full sheepskin fleeces, complete with heads, to lie low among farm flocks. Robbers Maximiliano Pereyra, 25, and Ariel Diaz, 28, stole the sheep hides from a ranch after breaking out of an Argentinian maximum security prison a week ago.-Justice stevens retires-Toyota cases consolidated to federal court orange county-Lawyer-forges federal judge signature to order –SANTA ANA - A lawyer who forged a Los Angeles federal judge's signature on a court order must spend six months in jail and six months in home confinement. -Timothy D. Thurman pleaded guilty in December to forging the signature of U.S. District Judge Gary A. Feess on a fake civil minute order meant to stop the immediate eviction of clients whose home had been foreclosed upon

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Legal Help Live offers free legal advice each Wednesday at 4 PM. During the show the Hosts take calls from viewers with legal situations from parking tickets to personal injury. Viewers can catch the show on LA cable channel 36 or 16 in Santa Monica. Online the show can be viewed on LA36.org.

If you'd like to ask the Hosts a question call 1(800)405-4222

SHOW TOPICS 3-24-2010

-Keanu Reeves Sends Well Wishes to Sandra Bullock -Us Magazine - ‎‎Sandra Bullock's longtime pal Keanu Reeves -- who costarred with her in 1994's Speed and 2006's The Lake House -- wishes the best for the Oscar-winning actress, 45, whose husband Jesse James allegedly had an 11-month affair with a tattoo model. -Condo law-DAVIS STERLING ACT BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING ARE OPEN-EXCEPT FOR LITIGATION AND OTHER EXCEPTIONS - Raise dues-Assessment increases and voting requirements are set by statute. Regardless of anything to the contrary in the governing documents, boards may increase regular assessments up to 20% and levy special assessments up to 5% without membership approval. Anything more requires owner approval, which is defined as approval by a majority of votes at a meeting with more than 50% of the owners in attendance. Civil Code 1366(b).-Toyota shareholders sue over fallen stock price -MIAMI (AP) - Toyota shareholders incensed over a sudden drop in the Japanese automaker's stock price are heading to court with lawsuits claiming company executives deliberately misled investors and the public about the depth of accelerator problems in millions of its vehicles.-Whale Wars news: Sushi restaurant serving Whale meat in Southern California closes for good - When a California Highway Patrol officer is sitting on the other side of the freeway in the complete dark with no parking lights or anything indicating his presence and uses his radar gun for speed control and nabs you, is that entrapment? And how can it possibly be legal?-First Comes Fire, Then Comes Rain- is there insurance coverage?

GOING GREEN AND DAYLIGHT SAVINGS EXTRA HOURS USES –PEOPLE DON’T PUT LIGHTS OR HEAT ON AND ITS QUITE A SAVINGS OF ELECTRICIY-Reduction in crime, reduction in traffic accidents,reduction is use of energy, more recreation time - The federal law that established "daylight time" in the United States does not require any area to observe daylight saving time. But if a state chooses to observe DST, it must follow the starting and ending dates set by the law. From 1986 to 2006 this was the first Sunday in April to the last Sunday in October, but starting in 2007, it is observed from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November, adding about a month to daylight saving time.-Mandatory helmet law for motor cycles-bill pending in ca mandatory helmet law for snow boarding and skiing-NYC: Taxi drivers overcharged riders by $8.3M-plus -EW YORK (AP) — Thousands of New York City taxi drivers overcharged passengers by more than $8.3 million over the past two years by setting their meters at a rate that was supposed to be used for trips to the suburbs, the Taxi and Limousine Commission said FridayAt least 1.8 million trips were wrongly charged at the suburban rate, which is double the rate within city limits, the commission said. The city has about 48,300 licensed cabbies, and data shows that 35,558 have illegally charged a rider at least once, the city said. A smaller group of drivers is responsible for the majority

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Legal Help Live offers free legal advice each Wednesday at 4 PM. During the show the Hosts take calls from viewers with legal situations from parking tickets to personal injury. Viewers can catch the show on LA cable channel 36 or 16 in Santa Monica. Online the show can be viewed on LA36.org.

If you'd like to ask the Hosts a question call 1(800)405-4222

SHOW TOPICS 3-10-2010

-L.A. City Council considers shutting down ambulances-10 RESCUE AMBULANCES-Man charged in sweeping student visa fraud case -went to school for foreign students on student vias…Eamonn Daniel Higgins spent seven years attending college.Between 2002 and 2009, he attended 10 different schools in Southern California,including Cal State Los Angeles, Irvine Valley College and Santa Monica College,according to federal prosecutors. During that time, he studied sociology, marketing,English, business and math-RUN AWAY TOYOTA PRYIS ON FREE WAS LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD 2010 MEG WITMAN-David Letterman Thanks Authorities in Blackmail Case-People Magazine - Stephen M. Silverman -David Letterman spoke briefly on his CBS Late Show Tuesday to thank authorities who handled the $2 million extortion attempt against him, which earlier in the day had resulted in Robert "Joe" Halderman's guilty plea and sentence -Under new federal guidelines that take effect next month, airlines can be fined up to $27,500 per passenger if a plane is stuck on the tarmac for longerthan three hours. “How can they say there is nothing wrong with having someone sit on a seat and run out of water and everything and sit on there for three, four, five hours? That's ridiculous,” Kelly said.With the new fines, a delayed MD-80 could cost American Airlines close to $4 million, and a fine for a full 757 could cost more than $5 million.-Toyota attacks claim of defect in vehicles' electronics Wash. man electrocuted by urinating on power line-MONTESANO, Wash. (AP) - Authorities believe a Washington man was killed by accidentally urinating on a downed power line after a car crash.-Grays Harbor County sheriff's Deputy Dave Pimentel (PIM'-en-tel) said Monday 50-year-old Roy Messenger was not seriously hurt after he collided with a power pole Friday and called a relative to pull his car from a ditch. However, family members found Messenger electrocuted when they arrived. Pimentel says Messenger apparently urinated into a roadside ditch but didn't see the live wire. The urine stream likely served as a conductor, allowing the electricity to reach his body. Pimentel says there will be an autopsy but burn marks indicated the way the electricity traveled through Messenger's body.-Tsunami swept away fleeing bus full of retirees-By MICHAEL WARREN and EVA VERGARAPELLUHUE, Chile (AP) - The 40 retirees enjoying summer vacation at a seaside campground nestled under pine trees knew they had to move fast after Chile'spowerful earthquake struck. They didn't make it. The tsunami came inthree waves, surging 200 meters (yards)into this Pacific Ocean resort town anddragging away the bus they'd piled into, hoping to get to high ground. Most of thoseinside were tourists, and only five of their bodies had been found by Monday,firefighters and witnesses said.

Legal Help Live offers free legal advice each Wednesday at 4 PM. During the show the Hosts take calls from viewers with legal situations from parking tickets to personal injury. Viewers can catch the show on LA cable channel 36 or 16 in Santa Monica. Online the show can be viewed on LA36.org.

If you'd like to ask the Hosts a question call 1(800)405-4222

SHOW TOPICS 3-3-2010

-WHAT IS DAMAGE FOR EMOTIONAL DISTRESS?-Wrong body in casket at funeral?-Stranded at 124 floor in elevator?-Spending 20 years on death row for murder you did not commit-Find out unmarried teenager is pregnant-Bogus rape charges against college sports personsTerrified passengers were left stranded between floors in the world’s tallest building after a lift broke as they were descending in the Burj Khalifa tower in Dubai. Visitors queueing to descend from the observation deck on the 124th floor of the recently opened 828-metre (2,717ft) tower heard a crash and the sound of breaking glass from the lift shaft. Dust then billowed back into the room through the small gaps in the lift shaft doors. -TOYOTA DEBACAL-Pryis-Camary-mat-acelerator petal-electronics-Credit destroyed for not paying lease or bank payment-If sell or get out on lease $9000 cash out of pocket-Honda expands airbag inflation recall to expand airbag inflation recall, says devices can deploy with too much pressure-DETROIT (AP) -- Honda Motor Co. is adding more than 378,000 cars to an existing safety recall for air bag inflation problems, the company said Tuesday. The company will replace the driver's side air bag inflator on the cars because they can deploy with too much pressure, causing the inflator to rupture and injure or kill the driver. The recall now affects more than 822,000 vehicles, including certain 2001 and 2002 Accord sedans, Civic compacts, Odyssey minivans, CR-V small sport utility vehicles and some 2002 Acura TL sedans.The Life of a "Puppy Bowl" RefereeAnimal Planet's most popular shows, working as the referee for "Puppy Bowl," two hours of alternative programming before the Super Bowl and featuring 43 playing puppies. He gets a break for kitten halftime. Mr. Schecter says being an animal referee takes patience and a sense of humor. He spoke with writer Dawn Fallik about his career. Edited excerpts follow. -U.S. COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE 9TH CIRCUIT -Female Wrestlers' Title IX Suit Can Proceed-By Laura Ernde -Daily Journal Staff Writer- A federal appellate panel Monday revived a class-action lawsuit brought by female students who were excluded from the UC Davis wrestling team. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the women can pursue damages even though they didn't give the school a chance to fix the alleged discrimination first. -Wednesday, February 10, 2010 Ninth Circuit Upholds Strip Searches For All PrisonersBreaking with its previous rulings, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday upheld the constitutionality of routine strip searches at jails-Weight loss issues and how to keep it off-Diet, exercise(biggest loser)-Pill and medicine-Surgery-gastric bands-gastric bypass-Baby and Infant Crib Recall: 2010 Update February 2010, the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a recall of more than 500,000 drop-side cribs sold at Buy Buy Baby, Kmart, Wal-Mart and other stores after the death of three infants

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Legal Help Live offers free legal advice each Wednesday at 4 PM. During the show the Hosts take calls from viewers with legal situations from parking tickets to personal injury. Viewers can catch the show on LA cable channel 36 or 16 in Santa Monica. Online the show can be viewed on LA36.org.

If you'd like to ask the Hosts a question call 1(800)405-4222

SHOW TOPICS -3-2010

-Air passengers who refuse a full body scan to be barred from their flight - Air passengers who refuse to submit to controversial full body scans will be barred from boarding theirflights. The technology - which has been strongly condemned by civil liberties campaigners - began operating at Heathrow and Manchester airports yesterday. Birmingham will follow suit later this month before the anti-terror devices are rolled out nationally.-California’s hand-held cellphone ban hasn’t reduced crashes, study says –LATimes - The accident rate before and after the law took effect has not significantly changed,according to the Highway Loss Data Institute.-Cat Predicts 50 deaths in RI nursing home – A cat with an uncanny ability to detect when nursing home patients are about to die has proven itself in around 50 cases by curling up with them in their final hours, according to a new book.-Use of Twitter, Facebook rising among gang member –The Associated Press-Revenue from red-light cameras is also on the rise, doubling L.A. from $200,000 a month in 2007 to $400,000 a month at the end of 2009, according to estimates prepared by the Los Angeles Superior Court, which processes ticket payments. The city more than doubled the amount charged for motorists who make rolling right turns against red lights from $156 to $381 in 2008, bringing it in line with other cities. Additional costs, including traffic school fees, often add to the price drivers pay. Last year, the state increased the fines for traffic tickets and used the proceeds to help renovate courthouses. The changes included a $35 surcharge on traffic tickets. With California mired in recession and residents unwilling to pay more taxes, focusing on parking and traffic fines is one of relatively few politically palatable ways to raise revenue. But the tactics anger some drivers -- as well as tax groups and driving organizations.-California Supreme Court upholds state enforcement of sex offender ban – Contra Costa Times - Voter-approved limits on where sex offenders can live may be enforced on parolees who committed theirsex crimes long before Jessica's Law passed, the California Supreme Court ruled Monday.But the court did not clarify what happens once they leave parole, or if the law applies to countyprobationers, frustrating law enforcement officials who had hoped the court would settle vexing questionsover the most controversial provision of a 2006 ballot measure backed by 70 percent of voters.The ruling means state parole agents can continue their strict enforcement of a ban on sex offenders livingwithin 2,000 feet of a school or park where kids "regularly gather.""It matters not ... whether the registered sex offender is being released on his current parole for a sex ornonsex offense," Justice Marvin Baxter wrote in the majority opinion. To rule otherwise, he wrote, wouldgrant parolees with earlier sex convictions "a free lifetime pass" from the ban.-Herbal Remedies may be risky with heart drugs-Researchers say some supplements should be avoided by patients taking heart drugs – WebMD Health News - Patients taking heart drugs are at risk for potentially dangerous interactions when they also take herbal supplements such as ginkgo biloba, St. John's wort, and garlic, an analysis shows. Investigators with the Mayo Clinic identified herbal and alternative products that they say should be avoided by patients with heart disease. They claim the products could cause problems when taken with drugs commonly prescribed to lower blood pressure, control cholesterol, stabilize heart rhythms, or prevent blood clots.-Request for restraining order against Paris Hilton Denied – A man from Long Beach, California is afraid of Paris Hilton. A guy named Ramiro Benitez filed for a restraining order against the hotel heiress, claiming she has threatened him "sexually, physically and financially." Unfortunately for him, a judge has denied the request.-Official says Jackson doctor to be charged – Associated Press - A law-enforcement official says prosecutors plan to charge Michael Jackson's doctor with manslaughter rather than take the case to a grand jury. The official told the Associated Press on Tuesday that prosecutors will file a criminal complaint against Dr. Conrad Murray in court. The complaint would be the prelude to a hearing in which a judge would weigh testimony from witnesses to decide if there is probable cause to try him on an involuntary manslaughter charge. Mr. Jackson died June 25 from an anesthetic overdose. Dr. Murray maintains nothing he gave Mr. Jackson should have killed him.-Pill that will help you live to 100 - A PILL to help people live to 100 free from debilitating health problems is set to "revolutionise" ageing, experts said yesterday. The breakthrough has come after scientists identified three “super-genes”. People born with the genes are 20 times more likely to reach a century – and 80 per cent less likely to develop the senility disease Alzheimer’s.-Tenants win $1 Million Settlement – Daily Journal -More than 100 current and former tenants, including 59 children, of a Palmdale apartment complex will receive nearly $1 million from the settlement of a habitability suit lodged against the former manager and owner of the building. The settlement was reached through mediation and approved by Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Robert O'Brien in January, but the settlement funds from the defendants' insurers came through last week. After attorney fees, the 59 children will receive $3,200 each and the 56 adults will receive $7,000, under the terms of the agreement.-The suit, Blaire et al vs. HLBP, Inc. et al, filed in July 2009, alleged living conditions at the 52-unit Sonterra Apartments on 12th Street East – including fleas, cockroach feces, mold and leaks – caused residents to suffer respiratory problems and rashes. It named the Westminster-based company that owns the building, HLBP Inc., its president Lindsie Kim Pham."If we did one thing in this case, it was to stop this landlord from managing the property and affecting thelives of people who live there," said attorney Robb Strom of Strom & Associates in Los Angeles, whorepresented the 115 plaintiffs. "We accomplished a little bit of a change in the lives of each of the tenantswho now have an opportunity to move and have a little bit of money where they can improve their lives ina little way." The defendants were represented by Kere Tickner of Bremer, Whyte, Brown & O'Meara in Newport Beach. Tickner did not immediately return a call seeking comment. In 2009, Los Angeles County and Palmdale health and safety officials cited the building for more than 400 health and safety code violations, including broken heating, air conditioning and fans, leaky toilets and showers, water damage and missing flooring.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

There you are, alone in traffic court thinking, “Am I wasting my time trying to get out of this speeding ticket even though I know I wasn’t going as fast as the radar reported?”

Why Hire An Attorney?Without legal representation, a defendant can easily be intimidated by the prosecutor, the statistics involving the radar’s reading and the police officer’s testimony. Case closed, the defendant has lost and now faces a traffic fine, points against his/her DMV record and higher vehicle insurance.

With experienced legal representation or even if you choose to represent yourself, here’s what should happen.

A Discovery RequestBefore going to trial, you request copies of documents about the radar issued speeding ticket, including - a list of witnesses for the prosecution; all records regarding the maintenance and calibration of the radar equipment; each radar training certification issued to the officer and all of his notes, along with the speeding ticket.

Radar Not A Perfect ScienceThose familiar with the process know that 10-20% of all radar-backed speeding tickets are issued in error. If the radar is operated from a moving police vehicle, the number of inaccurate tickets may be as high as 30%. Several years ago, a Miami television station showed a radar gun clocking a palm tree at 86mph and a house at 28mph.

Objecting To FoundationBefore the results of radar can be used in court, its calibration and maintenance must be established. The officer’s testimony alone is insufficient. If you object as to hearsay and foundation and those foundational facts can’t be established, maybe you walk out of the court room not guilty.

Cross-examinationWas the officer trained in the use of the radar device? Was it operated under manufacturer’s requirements? Did the officer test the radar before and after the arrest? Did outside interference cause the wrongful reading or was it the defendant’s car that actually caused the speed reading?

You DecideYou can always pay the ticket. But you can choose to contest, and you just may win if you or your attorneys are prepared.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Legal Help Live offers free legal advice each Wednesday at 4 PM. During the show the Hosts take calls from viewers with legal situations from parking tickets to personal injury. Viewers can catch the show on LA cable channel 36 or 16 in Santa Monica. Online the show can be viewed on LA36.org.

If you'd like to ask the Hosts a question call 1(800)405-4222

SHOW TOPICS 1-27-2010

-cross examination of experts laboratory technicians - 6th amendment right supreme court-Pension Board Dodges Felony Charges-San Diego no conflict of interest-state Supreme Court-Lawyer Arrested for Homeowner Scams - The first lawyer to be arrested for scamming desperate homeowners seeking mortgage modifications was taken into custody early Friday morning for allegedly defrauding more than 400 victims.-Toyota recalls 2.3 million cars to accelerator problems-California girl Abby Sunderland, 16, starts solo sail around globe, from ESPN.comA 16-year-old has set out to become the youngest person to sail around the world alone.-Campaign finance rules declared invalid by US Supreme court 5 to 4-State limit on medical pot rejected by Supreme Court -The California Supreme Court on Thursday unanimously struck down state limits — and, most likely, local limits, too — on how much marijuana a patient or caregiver can possess or grow for medical purposes. But the state's highest court revived another part of state law that a lower court had ordered voided, protecting the state's voluntary identification-card program for patients and caregiver-NTSB blames engineer for crash – opens door for more liability –metro link -Apple tablet seen nearing $3 billion business in first year, By Neil Hughes - Selling an estimated 5 million units in its first year as a "base case" scenario, Apple's tablet would earn the company $2.8 billion in additional revenue and solidify it as more than a niche product, a prominent investment baking firm said Friday.-Fla. woman fights ruling that kept her in hospital - TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Samantha Burton wanted to leave the hospital. Her doctor strongly disagreed, enough to go to court to keep her there. She smoked cigarettes during the first six months of her pregnancy and was admitted on a false alarm of premature labor. Her doctor argued she was risking a miscarriage if she didn't quit smoking immediately and stay on bed rest in the hospital, and a judge agreed. Three days after the judge ordered her not to leave the hospital, Burton delivered a stillborn fetus by cesarian-section. And six months after the pregnancy ended, the dispute over the legal move to keep her in the hospital continues, raising questions about where a mother's right to decide her own medical treatment ends and where the priority of protecting a fetus begins.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Legal Help Live offers free legal advice each Wednesday at 4 PM. During the show the Hosts take calls from viewers with legal situations from parking tickets to personal injury. Viewers can catch the show on LA cable channel 36 or 16 in Santa Monica. Online the show can be viewed on LA36.org.

If you'd like to ask the Hosts a question call 1(800)405-4222

SHOW TOPICS 1-20-2010-Governor wants to catch speeders with red-light cameras to help balance budget,LA Times, Friday Jan. 8, 2010California drivers could get stuck with speeding tickets even with nary a cop in sight under a proposal tucked deep in the budget Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger unveiled today. The Republican governor wants to let cities and counties install speed sensors in red-light cameras to ticket speeding drivers. Those whizzing by the detectors up to 15 mph above the limit would have to fork over $225 per violation. Those going faster than that would pay $325 under the plan. Red-light cameras already exist in communities across the Southland, from Beverly Hills to Yucaipa. The governor wants to install speed detectors in 500 of those cameras, which would nab an estimated 2.4 million speeding violators per year, according to the finance department estimates-WHO IS FAT LAWSUIT - This is heavy. Weight Watchers is suing rival diet company Jenny Craig over ads that it says are misleading and deceptive. Weight Watchers is taking issue with a purported study that the ads say favors Jenny Craig's pre-packaged meals over Weight Watchers' slim-down approach. Weight Watchers says there's no such study. No immediate word from Jenny Craig about that allegation.-BAN TANS -Lastly, one more tidbit from our friends at the FDA. They say they're going to take a closer look at tanning beds. Turns out those UV-heavy devices pose a cancer risk. You think?-California lawmaker proposes ski helmet law -NewsOK.com (blog) - bob doucette –The rundown is there is a state legislator in California who is proposing a law that would require helmets for skier and snowboarders under age 18.-Metro Link Report-Red or Green-National Safety Board.-Saudi girl, 13, sentenced to 90 lashes after she took a mobile phone to school, By Mike Theodoulou. A 13 year old girl has been sentenced to 90 lashes and two months prison in Saudi Arabia after she took a mobile phone to school. A court ordered the girl to be flogged in front of her classmates following an assault on the school principal, according to the Saudi daily newspaper. After the assault she was discovered to have concealed a mobile phone, breaking strict Saudi regulations banning the use of camera-equipped phones in girls’ schools.-Residents wrestle to represent Westwood, by Martha Groves – Some are pushing for a neighborhood council sanctioned by the city; existing groups say they are sufficient. The battle has gotten nasty, with crude missives and accusations of secret maneuvering.-Senate Bill 159 makes permanent California’s “Slow Down and Move Over” law.-Conan snags nearly $40M in exit agreement with NCConan snags nearly $40M in exit agreement with NBC: report – Conan O’Brien is close to signing a nearly $40 million deal to walk away from his job hosting NBC’s “The Tonight Show,” in a new move that will also award severance pay to his employees, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday. The deal, which has been fiercely negotiated for the last weeks, will give O’Brien $32.5 million to go on garden leave until September. This would prevent him from hosting any other TV shows if he pockets the cash, but gives him an option to sign other deals. The remaining $7.5 million wil go in severance3 pay to about 200 of Conan’s “Tonight Show” employees after they expressed outrage about the prospect of going penniless, reports said.- China says Google no exception to the law, Reuters – BEIJING – Google Inc will not be treated as an exception to China’s demand foreign companies obey its laws, the Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday, a week after the world’s largest search engine warned it could pull out of China. Google said last week it and other companies were targets of sophisticated cyber-spying from China that also went after Chinese dissidents. It also said it no longer wants to censor its Chinese Google.cn search site and wants talks with Beijing about offering a legal, unfiltered Chinese site.

Legal Help Live offers free legal advice each Wednesday at 4 PM. During the show the Hosts take calls from viewers with legal situations from parking tickets to personal injury. Viewers can catch the show on LA cable channel 36 or 16 in Santa Monica. Online the show can be viewed on LA36.org.

If you'd like to ask the Hosts a question call 1(800)405-4222

SHOW TOPICS 1-20-2010-Governor wants to catch speeders with red-light cameras to help balance budget,LA Times, Friday Jan. 8, 2010California drivers could get stuck with speeding tickets even with nary a cop in sight under a proposal tucked deep in the budget Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger unveiled today. The Republican governor wants to let cities and counties install speed sensors in red-light cameras to ticket speeding drivers. Those whizzing by the detectors up to 15 mph above the limit would have to fork over $225 per violation. Those going faster than that would pay $325 under the plan. Red-light cameras already exist in communities across the Southland, from Beverly Hills to Yucaipa. The governor wants to install speed detectors in 500 of those cameras, which would nab an estimated 2.4 million speeding violators per year, according to the finance department estimates-WHO IS FAT LAWSUIT - This is heavy. Weight Watchers is suing rival diet company Jenny Craig over ads that it says are misleading and deceptive. Weight Watchers is taking issue with a purported study that the ads say favors Jenny Craig's pre-packaged meals over Weight Watchers' slim-down approach. Weight Watchers says there's no such study. No immediate word from Jenny Craig about that allegation.-BAN TANS -Lastly, one more tidbit from our friends at the FDA. They say they're going to take a closer look at tanning beds. Turns out those UV-heavy devices pose a cancer risk. You think?-California lawmaker proposes ski helmet law -NewsOK.com (blog) - bob doucette –The rundown is there is a state legislator in California who is proposing a law that would require helmets for skier and snowboarders under age 18.-Metro Link Report-Red or Green-National Safety Board.-Saudi girl, 13, sentenced to 90 lashes after she took a mobile phone to school, By Mike Theodoulou. A 13 year old girl has been sentenced to 90 lashes and two months prison in Saudi Arabia after she took a mobile phone to school. A court ordered the girl to be flogged in front of her classmates following an assault on the school principal, according to the Saudi daily newspaper. After the assault she was discovered to have concealed a mobile phone, breaking strict Saudi regulations banning the use of camera-equipped phones in girls’ schools.-Residents wrestle to represent Westwood, by Martha Groves – Some are pushing for a neighborhood council sanctioned by the city; existing groups say they are sufficient. The battle has gotten nasty, with crude missives and accusations of secret maneuvering.-Senate Bill 159 makes permanent California’s “Slow Down and Move Over” law.-Conan snags nearly $40M in exit agreement with NCConan snags nearly $40M in exit agreement with NBC: report – Conan O’Brien is close to signing a nearly $40 million deal to walk away from his job hosting NBC’s “The Tonight Show,” in a new move that will also award severance pay to his employees, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday. The deal, which has been fiercely negotiated for the last weeks, will give O’Brien $32.5 million to go on garden leave until September. This would prevent him from hosting any other TV shows if he pockets the cash, but gives him an option to sign other deals. The remaining $7.5 million wil go in severance3 pay to about 200 of Conan’s “Tonight Show” employees after they expressed outrage about the prospect of going penniless, reports said.- China says Google no exception to the law, Reuters – BEIJING – Google Inc will not be treated as an exception to China’s demand foreign companies obey its laws, the Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday, a week after the world’s largest search engine warned it could pull out of China. Google said last week it and other companies were targets of sophisticated cyber-spying from China that also went after Chinese dissidents. It also said it no longer wants to censor its Chinese Google.cn search site and wants talks with Beijing about offering a legal, unfiltered Chinese site.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Legal Help Live offers free legal advice each Wednesday at 4 PM. During the show the Hosts take calls from viewers with legal situations from parking tickets to personal injury. Viewers can catch the show on LA cable channel 36 or 16 in Santa Monica. Online the show can be viewed on LA36.org.

If you'd like to ask the Hosts a question call 1(800)405-4222

SHOW TOPICS 1-13-2010

-Lawsuits: AT&T collects illegal taxes in Internet access - Over the last month, a series of federal lawsuits around the country have charged AT&T with illegally collecting” taxes" on wireless data plans. The suits, which all seek class action status, say that there are no such taxes. AT&T is no stranger to being sued. IN the last year alone, the company’s wireless unit has faced big lawsuits from songwriters over its ringtones, lawsuits for slow 3Gspeeds and even attempted class action suites over the phone’s lack of MMS.-Appeal Request by Dan Rather is Turned Down, By BrianStelter - Dan Rather’s request for an appeal in his lawsuit against CBS Corporation was turned down on Tuesday, marking an apparent end to the high-profile breach of contract case. Mr Rather, the former anchor of the “CBS Evening News,” had appealed to the New York Court of Appeals after the appellate division of New York State Supreme court ruled unanimously in September to dismiss the $70 million lawsuit Mr. Rather had brought against the network in 2007.-Are California’s traffic safety laws tough enough? - In California, first-year drivers aren’t supposed to drive late at night, let other teens ride in the car with them, or talk on their cell phones when they’re behind the wheel. But Stone says the laws only require secondary enforcement. In other words, "they have to be stopped for some other reason before they can give a ticket." Stone says it’s a weak and ineffective law. And it didn't used to be this way. "All highway safety laws used to be just primary enforcement, "she says. "Secondary wasn’t even an issue. Let’s go back to the days when highway safety laws were enforced as primary enforcement.-Restaurant Chefs Boiling Over NYC Mayor’s Salt Crackdown, FOXNews – Mayor Bloomberg yesterday defended his latest nanny initiative –a controversial crackdown on salt-by comparing the simple seasoning to killer asbestos in the classroom.-California could make pot legal, KGET 17 - The bill would "tax and regulate marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol," according to Assemblyman Tom Ammiano.-California Judge Orders Highway Patrol to Return 60 Pounds of Marijuana to Owner, AllGov - Five Things We’ll Miss about Sam Raimi & Tobey Maguire’s ‘Spider Man” Franchise, MTV.com – Some fans might point towards continuity deviations, an over abundance of villains and excessive dance sequences as reasons to look forward to the new direction of “Spider-Man”.-Sarah Palin Slams President Obama, Critics in Fox News Debut, ABC News – Fresh from her book tour, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is trying out a new role as a Fox News pundit.-California Prop. 8 trial might affect Mich. Laws, MSU State News – The constitutionality of California’s same-sex marriage ban began Monday and its repercussions could change marriage laws nationwide.

Friday, January 8, 2010

Legal Help Live offers free legal advice each Wednesday at 4 PM. During the show the Hosts take calls from viewers with legal situations from parking tickets to personal injury. Viewers can catch the show on LA cable channel 36 or 16 in Santa Monica. Online the show can be viewed on LA36.org.

If you'd like to ask the Hosts a question call 1(800)405-4222

SHOW TOPICS 1-8-2010

-‘Los Angeles freeways are wide open-recession, unemployment and gas prices’Sandy Banks, LA Times.-Los Angeles seeks to scale back pensions for new employee.-Closure of courts because of budget-will put civil cases on hold and may make it 5 years to get to trial-injured people and all types of non-criminal disputes will be put on hold, LA Times.-State of California Proposed new execution procedure-so what? 697 people on death row.-Bankruptcies up, despite law to make filing harder. *Personal bankruptcy filings rose by nearly a third last year as foreclosures and job losses took their toll on Americans. *There were 1.41 million personal bankruptcy filings last year, up 32 percent from 2008, the National Bankruptcy Research Center reported. It’s the highest number since 2005, when more stringent bankruptcy laws took effect, according to the Wall Street Journal. *Many filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, which the 2005 law attempted to make it harder to do. Chapter 7 filings allow people to liquidate their assets to pay off some debts and not have to pay others, according to the WSJ, while Chapter 13 filings force those declaring bankruptcy to enter into repayment plans.-AP names Tiger Woods Athlete of Decade, from Drudge Retort. * Tiger Woods was selected Wednesday as the Athlete of the Decade by members of The Associated Press, a vote that was more about 10 years of golf in which he won 12 majors and 52 other tournaments. Lance Armstrong finished second, followed by Roger Federer.-Honor Student Dies After Drinking Binge, from Drudge Retort . * A 17-year-old honor student at South Pasadena High School died two days after passing out from drinking at a classmate's party. Aydin Salek, 17, was pronounced dead at Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena early Sunday. South Pasadena police said alcohol may have been involved in a collapse so swift and subtle that Salek's friends did not realize at first that anything was wrong.-Gays Rush to Marry in New Hampshire, from Drudge Retort. * Gay and lesbian couples rushed to marry in New Hampshire on Friday after the stroke of midnight, when it became the fifth U.S. state to allow same-sex marriage. "Some day this will not even be a news story," said Linda Murphy, 50m after marrying her partner of 19 years. "It will just be a part of life." -Report on Pilots who Overshot Airport, by Matthew L Wald NYTIMES * WASHINGTON-The captain of the Northwest Airlines plane that overshot its destination by 150 miles in October told investigators four days later that he was “blown away” by how long he and his first officer had been distracted from their duties, according to documents released Wednesday by the National Transportation Safety Board. The board is investigating the flight, Northwest 188, on Oct. 21, from San Diego to Minneapolis. The crew was out of radio contact with air traffic controllers for 77 minutes.The problem was that the captain, Timothy Cheney, and the first officer, Richard I. Cole, in the isolation of a hijack-proof cockpit, were glued to their laptops, puzzling over a new scheduling system. “This was only supposed to take 10 minutes,” Mr. Cheney told investigators, according to the documents, which contain summaries of interviews with the two pilots as well as other reports in the inquiry.….After the incident, the F.A.A. revoked the licenses of both pilots. They have filed appeals, which have not yet been heard. The flight, with 144 passengers and 3 flight attendants, made a normal landing, although the police were sent to the gate to double-check that the people in the cockpit were crew, not hijackers.